Walter n



(No Model.) W. N. LAWRENCE.

LATHER CUP.

Patented l-Feb. 19, 1895.

` Untreue @raras Farma Enron,

.VALTER N. LAWRENCE, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

LATHER-CUP.

SPEIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 534,268, dated February19, 1895. Application filed May 16, 1894. Serial No. 511,392.. (Nomodel.'l

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER N. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lather-Cups,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in lather-cups used for shavingpurposes, and while it is more especially adapted to be employed, as thereceptacle for refuse lather, yet it can be used as a shaving-mug orcup, in which the lather for the face may be prepared; and it consistsin certain peculiarities of the material, form, and constructionthereof, as will be hereinafter' more fully set forth and specificallyclaimed.

lleretofore it has generally been the custom with men when shavingthemselves and for barbers to remove the lather from the razor bladeafter it has been scraped from the face, by means of a piece of paper orcloth, upon which the blade is wiped. This means of freeing the razorofthe refuse lather and particles of beard, has been found objectionable,for the reason that the paper or cloth, which is employed will dull orturn the keen edge of the blade, and thus require frequent strappingthereof, and for the further reason that the paper, which is besmeared,is untidy and it is frequently, under certain circumstances, difficultor inconvenient to obtain.

It is therefore the object of my invention,

first, to provide a lather-cup, which shall be simple and inexpensive inconstruction, and of unbreakable material; second, such a cup, which byreason of its construction, and the material of which it is formed, willreadily cleanse the razor or free it of the refuse lather, in such amanner as to leave the blade dry and clean,and somewhat sharper orkeener', than when applied tothe cup; and third, a cup, which by reasonof its flexible and unbreakable nature, is specially adapted for the useof travelers, tourists, hunters, or barbers, and which can be used as areceptacle for the refuse lather, or as a shaving-mug 4or cup, in whichthe lather for the face is produced.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it,referring to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1, is aperspective view of my cup, showing a razorapplied thereto and in theact of being freed of the refuse lather. Fig. 2, is a similar view ofthe cup, showing it clamped between the thumb and fingers, as used inthe act of extracting or squeezing the lather from the shavingebrush.Fig. 3, is a top plan View of the cup. Fig. 4, is a central vertic-tlsectional view, taken on line 4, 4,.of Fig. 3, and Fig. `5, is a'likeview, showing a modification therein.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views ofthe drawings.

A, represents the body of my cup, which is made of any suitable iiexiblematerial, but preferably of red vulcanizedrubber, and of the formillustrated in the drawings. On account of economy, simplicity, andcleanliness, I prefer to construct it of one piece of material, soformed that it will present a flat bottom or disk a., having at itsperiphery a circumferential wall B, which is contracted at its upperportion, as is clearly shown in Figs. l, 4, and 5, the apex or rim ofwhich terminates in an angular point b, from which angularpoint, thematerial is inwardly beveled, as at c, and from thence is formedinto acup or basin C, for the reception of the lather. This formation affordsacup, which by reason of the fact that it is larger at its base than atthe periphery or rim of its basin, and also on account of the adhesivenature of the flexible material of which it is composed, is difticult toup-set.

As before stated, I prefer to make my cup of red vulcanized-rubber,which material possesses the qualities of elasticity and flexibility, aswell as that,adapted to hone or sharpen the blade, which is passed overit.

In Fig. 5, of the drawings, I have shown a modification in theconstruction of my cup, which I may sometimes employ, and which is ofthe same form as illustrated in Figs. l, to 4, inclusive, and as beforeset forth, with the exception that the bottom or disk d, is provided atits periphery with a downwardly extending annular rim a', which rim,when the IOO cup is placed on a smooth surface or plane, forms a suctionchamber' or vacuum therebetween, as is readily understood, and lnoreeffectually prevents the displacement or ,upsetting of the cup. Thisform or modification of the cup is more especially designed for the useof barbers, where it is desired to locate the cup on a marble-slab orsmooth surface, so that it will not be displaced or upset by the use ofthe razor, when it is applied thereto for cleaning the same.

In forming the rim or periphery ofthe basin C, with the angular orpointed apex b, and with the inwardly extending bevel c, it is obviousthat a very thin strip or portion is presented to the blade, whichreadily yields, and as the blade is drawn thereon outwardly, the bevelportion will be raised against its lower surface, thus presenting a flatpart against the same, which elfectually cleans it of all the lather,and in so doing, by reason of the iexible material of which the cup iscomposed, and its honing quality, slightly sharpens the blade. As soonas the razor is raised or removed from the rim of the cup, the latterwill assume its normal position, which will cause the refuse latheradhering thereto to be dis placed, and by reason of the inclination ofthe beveled part c, and the interior of the basin to iow to the bottomthereof.

It is also'desirable after one has performed the operation of shaving tocleanse the brush of lather, and this can be done by clamping the upperportion of the cup, between the thumb and forefinger on the brush, whenthe same may be Withdrawn, thus squeezing' and extracting the lathertherefrom, as will be.

clearly understood by reference to Fig- 2, of the drawings.

While I prefer to make my cup of red vulcanized-rubber, yet I do notdesire to be limited to its use, as I may employ other colors ot' thesame material or other material of a flexible nature and attain the sameresults.

In order to render the Wall of the cup, as well as that of the basin,more exible and elastic, I provide the base thereof, with an opening d,which permits of the escape of air, when the shape of the cup is changedby pressure or squeezing, thus adording an air-cushion for the device.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent., is-

l. As an improved article of manufacture, a lather cup made of flexiblematerial having in its base the opening or air passage d, and its wallscontracted at the top and terminating in a point or thin edge b, andprovided with the bevel c, and basin C, said basin and exterior Wall ofthe cup being integral, but having an ainchamber therebetween,substantially as described.

2. Asan improved article of manufacture a lather-cup, made ot' flexiblevulcanized-rubber, having its Walls terminating at the top in a point orthin edge b, and provided with the bevel c, and basin C, and having atits bottom the annular-rim at', substantially as described.

VALTER N. LAWRENCE. lVitnesses:

CHAs. C. TILLMAN, E. A. DUGGAN.

